August 20, 2025 • 27 mins
Ever wonder what happens when you release your white-knuckle grip on what seems "too good to let go"? Tina Wilson's remarkable journey from portrait photographer to business maven reveals the surprising gifts that come from open hands and divine timing.
From finding her cordless phone in the freezer as an identity-starved new mom to hearing a mysterious voice on a drive home from Chattanooga, Tina's path to founding Reclaimed Home unfolds with raw honesty and unexpected turns. Her story resonates with anyone who's ever questioned their purpose or wondered if they've taken a wrong career turn.
The conversation explores how Tina's early photography success at JC Penney's portrait studio in 1991 evolved through seasons of pride, painful business lessons, and personal growth. We dive deep into the moment she received the vision for Reclaimed Home and how surrendering control created space for something far beyond her original dreams. Today, her business employs around 20 people across retail, interior design, styling services, and photography – a reality she "couldn't have been sold for a nickel" would exist a decade ago.
Tina shares her beautiful philosophy that we're all "always on the middle step" of life's staircase – reaching up for wisdom while extending a hand to those coming behind us. This perspective has transformed her approach to leadership and creating spaces that "welcome story and warmth" for families throughout Northeast Tennessee.
Whether you're questioning your professional identity, facing tough business decisions, or simply looking to create a more meaningful home environment, this conversation offers wisdom that transcends interior design. Discover why Tina considers her work "stewardship rather than entrepreneurship" and how that mindset creates exceptional experiences from the first phone call to the final pillow placement.
To help you to navigate the home buying and mortgage process, Jonathan & Steve are currently licensed in Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia, contact us today at 423-491-5405 or visit www.jonathanandsteve.com.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is Benchmark Happenings, brought to you by
Jonathan and Steve fromBenchmark Home Loans.
Northeast Tennessee, johnsonCity, kingsport, bristol, the
Tri-Cities One of the mostbeautiful places in the country
to live.
Tons of great things to do andawesome local businesses.
(00:21):
And on this show you'll findout why people are dying to move
to Northeast Tennessee.
And on the way we'll havediscussions about mortgages and
we'll interview people in thereal estate industry.
It's what we do.
This is Benchmark Happenings,brought to you by Benchmark Home
Loans, and now your host,christine Reed, and now your
(00:43):
host.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Christine Reed.
Well, welcome back everybody toanother episode of Benchmark
Happenings.
And you know, every couple ofweeks, businesswoman,
(01:11):
entrepreneur of Reclaimed Homedowntown, Just a beautiful,
beautiful store.
Tina, we've known each otherfor a long time, so welcome to
the show.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Thank you, I'm so happy to be here.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Well, I'm happy to have you here and I know that
you know just our briefconversation of some things that
you've been involved in.
I know we met years ago throughthe Emmaus community.
I've met you and your husbandthrough that.
Actually, that's how I metSteve was through Emmaus.
It's a good place to hook upwho knew Christian community?
(01:45):
Okay, girls, if you are abeliever, proclaim, profess,
believer in Jesus, that's right.
Get yourself on an Emmaus walk.
Be looking for a husband in theright places.
Don't think you're going tofind one in a bar.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Although I did find mine in a bar, so I can't really
sit here and say it.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
But God did a lot of great work, right?
God did a lot of great work inthat one.
He's gracious that way.
So, tina, I just lost myearring.
That's okay, I'll just take itoff, it's fine.
So really want to talk a littlebit about your endeavor in so
many things and to be a femaleliving here in this area just
(02:30):
all the different venues thatyou have put your hand to and
the multiple talents that youhave.
You know you.
I knew you from photography.
You're probably one of the mostsought after, best
photographers.
I would do wonderful familyphotos.
They're beautiful.
We need to do that, by the way.
(02:52):
And then you talked about on anAMA.
I remember we were on an AMAwalk together and you had talked
about opening up this store inJohnson City yes, city, yes, and
at the time it was going to benew furniture, used furniture,
making, renovating things thatpeople could love again.
So I'm just going to open it upto you.
(03:14):
So tell us about your business.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Okay, so I started photographing, probably when I
was a junior in high school.
Yeah, so I've been.
I'll tell my age here at 90, at91 is when I started
photographing JC Penny portraitstudio.
Um, so, throughout life, um, my, I thought my calling was to be
(03:40):
a?
Um, a hairdresser.
I wanted to be a cosmetologistand I had all the same hopes and
visions at age 14 for thatindustry that I'm pretty much
doing now, which is just reallyodd.
But never expected photographyto go anywhere.
Just thought that it would comeand go, as things do in life,
(04:04):
and it's just been the one thatkind of came to stay.
So I started, I tried to getout of it several times.
I had children Right before Ihad kids.
I tried to get into real estate.
I tried to get into insurance.
I tried my hand at thetechnology world and worked in
(04:25):
the computer industry and sales.
I tried all kinds of things andlife just kept leading me right
back to photography.
So when my kids were born, Itried to be a stay-at-home mom.
That did not work for me.
I very much lost myself in that, just kind of spiraled into an
(04:45):
identity crisis and found mycordless phone.
Back then, before cell phonesfound my cordless phone, I would
find it in the freezer and findmy jelly that's supposed to be
in the freezer in the bottom ofthe pantry.
I mean, I just kind of was likewho am I?
I used to be smart.
I don't know who I am anymore.
So so I ended up I needed to dosomething, but I didn't want to,
(05:09):
um, to go too far outside ofwhat felt natural to me.
So I just started photographyin my home when my babies were,
like I don't know, six months orso, and so I started building
the business in 2003.
Business in 2003.
And then by the end of thatyear it had built to a place
(05:30):
that I was not really sure whento be a mom and when to be a
business owner, and being a wifewasn't even on my radar anymore
because I was so busy.
And so I moved into my firststudio downtown Johnson City and
I was there for a couple years.
I immediately hired a couplepeople did not want to do that.
(05:50):
I had worked for a company thatthey would hire people, train
them and they would leave andstart their own businesses.
And so I was like, well, Idon't want to create my own
competition.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
So why would I do that?
My own competition, so why?
Speaker 3 (06:03):
would I do that, and so, anyway, started learning
leadership, started learningstarted going to some
conferences like Catalyst.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
I don't know if you remember that in Atlanta, oh, I
used to go to Catalyst.
I thought that was the bestthing since sliced bread.
I thought, oh my God, have youbeen to Catalyst?
It was pretty awesome.
It was pretty awesome.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Yeah, it definitely was.
So did that a lot and reallywent into it with the motive of
just like I'm just going to giveand not expect anything in
return.
But you know, when you startdoing that and you start getting
a little bit of notoriety, it'shard to not kind of take that
(06:45):
on as an identity, you know.
And so prod comes before thefall.
These girls left and startedtheir own business.
You know, and so, looking backon it now, I can see it.
You know, cliches are clichesfor a reason.
We were talking about thatbefore the show and you know,
hindsight really is 20-20.
Like you can just see so muchmore clearly years down the road
and you know, hindsight reallyis 2020.
Like, you can just see so muchmore clearly years down the road
(07:06):
and that's a gift.
But in the time it stripped me,I mean, I just it was so
hurtful and it was like it waskind of a confirmation of I knew
better, I shouldn't have.
So, anyway, fast forward, endedup hiring some new people and
(07:29):
reexamining my motives and kindof finding my really finding my
identity was in more than justwhat I was able to do through a
camera, and that was a beautifulgrowth journey and so, anyway,
I kept photographing, uh, kindof rediscovered myself, if you
will.
And, um, every year I wouldjust kind of meet with some
(07:54):
friends that own businesses andwe would get re-inspired to do
something um, different or newor better or what have you.
And that's really where thevision was planted for Reclaim.
There was a store I went todown in Chattanooga and I was
just awed by it.
It was incredible.
(08:15):
I was just there to build myphotography business up and to
get some inspiration, and as I'mdriving back up the road, I
literally hear this voice you'regoing to have a store like that
someday.
And I'm like what in the world.
It was that like, what was that?
Speaker 2 (08:30):
It was so clear to me , that's a yeah, that's a God
moment.
It was a God moment, for sure,Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Absolutely, and so I just started praying about it
and this was in 2011.
About it, and this was in 2011.
And I had at that point, I hadfour people on staff, I think,
and was healing and had been togot to take me to Rwanda to
teach me about forgiveness.
I'm like these girls juststarted a business because they
(09:01):
were probably being mistreatedhonestly at that point, you know
.
And so, yeah, so it was.
It was beautiful Met with alady that that just kind of
helped me to understand thatwhat I did and what I was known
for was not necessarily like mycore identity, which was a huge
message for me back then.
And meanwhile, I'm stillphotographing and still building
(09:23):
the business and buildingrelationships in the community
and and loving all of that.
And, anyway, ended up, ended up, yeah, um, sorry, ended up, um,
what was I saying?
I am so easily distracted.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
So, talking about the business, so you were.
You pretty much had a clear,almost a clear indication that
I'm going to start this business, like one that you saw in
Chattanooga, yes, and then youhad, um, gone through.
You've had some severallife-changing journeys, tina,
which I really appreciate youtalking about those, because I
(10:06):
think, as women, we have so manyexpectations put on us and we
struggle with so many things andwe struggle with that identity.
What do I do?
Speaker 3 (10:18):
And we don't feel like we can share that with
anybody, because what will theythink about us?
Right, and so it is.
I mean, it was what it was.
I was very prideful I had Inever knew who I was, but
suddenly everybody knew who Iwas and so that definitely went
to my head, you know, and itjust.
That is just the way it works,but anyway.
(10:39):
So circling back to um, to the,the store, to the store.
Yes, so I just I was justpraying and just said, like I
don't, I'm just a photographer.
I don't know how to open afurniture store, I don't even
know if that's for me, but Ijust need you to like, shut all
these voices down if that's notof you, and if it is, then just
(11:02):
start opening doors.
And so he did.
He just started opening doorsand I ended up in it was either
2011 or 2012.
I ended up, just like I justagreed, like I will write down
everything that feels clear tome in the moment and we'll just
see where it goes.
And so I ended up writing avision statement for each part
of this crazy business that wascoming to me.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
That is awesome.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
And we still, to this day, we still are tethered to
that same vision.
So it's really beautiful.
That is yeah, yeah.
And just along the way, so manydoors have opened.
So I will talk for three hoursabout this.
I'm trying to manage our 20minutes well.
So I mean, every everythingthat was supposed to happen had
(12:02):
realized what that actually getsyou is not notoriety, it is
pride, and so so now we have,like I don't know, 20 employees.
It's crazy.
And so, yeah, and it's in there, and I'm learning.
I have learned and I'mcontinuing to learn that my
opinion is not the only opinionthat matters and we can really
(12:26):
create so much more than anyoneever dreamed of.
You couldn't have sold me for anickel 10 years ago to tell me
that I'd be sitting right hereright now doing the things that
we're doing, to the level thatwe're doing them, and it's
because the people that comeinto my life, I've just learned
to, to approach them with,they're here for a moment and
(12:48):
they may be gone again tomorrowor maybe they're here to stay.
I don't get to choose that,Because we can't hold on to
people, you know.
So I just and that that was oneof the things that a very kind
lady said to me right after thegirls left and I was just
reeling and stripped.
And she said when people cometo your life, you're closing
(13:10):
your fist because it's the bestthat you've ever seen and the
best that you've everexperienced.
But what God wants for you is hewill bring people to you and
then they will go through youand he will always be replacing
with better and better andbetter.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Not better people, but just different, right, and
using all the differentpersonalities, and because we're
also different, we're alsounique.
We always say that you know,there is no other Tina Wilson,
there's no other Christine Reed,because God designed us
genetically, through our DNA, tobe so unique.
(13:47):
But to glorify him, that'sright For a reason.
So everybody is so unique anddifferent.
So I love what you're sayingand I think, if I hear it
correctly, you know tell me ifI'm wrong.
I think, if I hear it correctly, you know tell me if I'm wrong.
But he uses all those differentpeople coming in and out of our
lives kind of like a swingingdoor.
But it's that sanctificationprocess.
(14:09):
It's always refining us, makingus better.
You know, maybe we're seeingfaults in ourselves that we
don't want to see, that somebodyelse can see, sure, sure, I
have this picture.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
I'm just, I'm such a picture girl, which is why
photography is so important tome and and I'm just, I'm so
connected to it.
The picture that I have of lifeis or one of them anyway is like
this set of stairs and you'realways on the middle step.
It doesn't matter how far alongyou are, it doesn't matter how
(14:44):
smart you are, it doesn't matter.
It doesn't matter who you are,you're always on the middle step
.
There's always someone aboveyou that is better, faster,
prettier, skinnier, moresuccessful, whatever, and
there's always somebody rightdown below you that needs
something.
They're trying to learn,they're trying to discover, and
(15:06):
you have something that theyneed, and they probably have
something that you need.
And so always just thinking ofmyself, like right in the middle
, like I reach up and I getwisdom that pours into me, and
then I just turn around andempty it out to whoever's right
behind me, and that is beautiful, that because I feel like you
(15:26):
know, age doesn't have anythingto do with that and experience
doesn't even really have much todo with that, because you're
right, like we're all created tobe exactly who we are, and when
we just show up in our identity.
It just yeah, everything, itall just gels and it all just
makes sense.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
It works it does, really it does, it does, and so
you've you've stayed true tothat vision with reclaimed home,
you know, providing a place.
So what are some of the thingsthat that I mean?
20 employees, tina, that'simpressive it shouldn't be too
impressive.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
I don't zoom out and look at it like that that's a
lot.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
I just know, and you know, Steve, managing the
mortgage industry for 40 yearsnow, people who have come and
gone, and just you know managingpeople, leading people.
It's so.
It's not for the faint of heart, it's true.
So what are some of the thingsthat you're doing there at
Reclaimed Home?
Speaker 3 (16:24):
So we didn't really tie in photography to Reclaimed
necessarily.
So I'll circle back to that,because that's something really
beautiful that's happening rightnow and I feel like it probably
answers what you're getting to.
And, tina Wilson, photographyis something that I've built for
22 years.
I haven't built it alone.
(16:44):
I've had all the differentemployees that have come through
that business in the years thatit's been alive has helped to
create what it is today.
And so once I started Reclaim,the vision that I felt like the
Lord had given me is that overthe course of five years the
(17:06):
photography would just kind oflike no longer be a player, or
could kind of fade into thenight, if you will.
And five years came and Iwasn't ready for it to go away.
It wasn't prevalent anymore.
It wasn't the pressure and thestress to keep it alive and well
and me being the only commoditythere which I mean, I'm like,
(17:32):
if I want to go away for acouple of months not that I will
, not that I may ever do thatbut what if I had to?
What would happen to thebusiness?
It would shut down, and Ireally wanted something that
would keep going without me.
And so I ended up having I hada phone.
High school or not from highschool, I'm sorry Graduated from
(17:53):
college, I've got a job, I'vebeen living in Charlotte, I've
just moved back home.
I just, I don't know if I wantto do this, I just can.
Can we just meet and, you know,just chat, and so that's my
love language.
So so we met, we walked and wewalked and we walked and we oh,
(18:21):
my goodness, our legs were numband she just shared where she
was and I shared where I am.
And then that has turned intome basically mentoring her to
take over Tina Wilsonphotography, and so the name
doesn't make sense anymore,because it's not Tina Wilson
that you're going to get.
But it also didn't feel feel,it didn't feel natural to take
(18:43):
it all the way away.
And then and we've explored,you know, every, every way that
we can possibly explore this,but anyway, we just decided to
name it Wilson and Co and lether be the head photographer and
I'll still photograph, likeclients that I've always worked
with, because that's what.
I love to do is grow withfamilies and watch them grow in
(19:05):
front of the lens and kind ofdocument that journey.
It's so beautiful and now she'sgoing to be taking on all the
new clients and all the newshoots that come through the
studio and she's so passionateand she's so good and I've known
her since she was two.
It's just, it's so beautiful.
It's so beautiful and so Iknown her since she was two.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
It's just it's so beautiful.
It's so beautiful.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
And so I was willing to let it go away.
But then, when it came, whenthat time frame came and then it
just, it perfectly coincidedwith the time that she called
and it just, it was just kind ofserendipitous, which is how all
of this is when my hands aren'tfull when.
I don't have my hands closed onwhat seems too good to be true
(19:43):
and I'm just willing to let itgo.
Then new doors open and newopportunities come when I could
have never dreamed that theywould.
So it is.
It is really beautiful, so thephotography is going to continue
.
And it's underneath theumbrella of Reclaimed Okay and
we may not have 20 employeesright now.
(20:04):
I don't know but 18 to 20 isprobably where we are.
I don't know if anybody's factchecking me, so I want to be
careful for that.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
I don't think you've got to worry about that, Tina.
We don't fact check.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
But it's really beautiful, but it's really
beautiful.
I've learned that as a leader Ican be a really okay leader of
like seven to ten people.
When it surpasses 13, I tap out.
But that is under a structurethat all of those people answer
to me.
I can't do that.
(20:40):
What we have now is we kind ofhave different divisions.
So what Reclaimed?
Home is, is we have a retailstore and the retail store has
home goods it has.
It's not necessarily reclaimed,is not the word for reclaimed,
is the word for repurposed.
(21:00):
But that's not what we do.
We do source some found thingsbecause authentically worn when
it is in, when you, when you putsomething that's authentically
worn into a room, it welcomesstory and it welcomes warmth
instantly a room.
It welcomes story and itwelcomes warmth instantly, and
so that is the part of the lookof something that's reclaimed
(21:21):
that we really love, and thenmarrying that idea with things
that are new, that wear reallywell, that live really well with
families.
And then we have gift items andso reclaimed is really just
about coming to find things thatmake your home better, that
make your home feel irresistible, to where your family and your
(21:43):
friends want to.
They want to be there, theywant to come, they're
comfortable there, becausethat's where really connection,
I think, is birth, and thenmeanwhile, if your home is
perfectly the way you want it,there's always a great gift to
be discovered, right, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
So we do gifts.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
And then we do full scope, full service interior
design.
We do new construction, workingwith architects all the way up
to or down to, if you will, justselecting paint colors to a
room and everything in between.
We do full home furnishings.
We leave a space so that youcan walk in and just put your
(22:24):
feet up and start living, andthat's really beautiful and we
love that.
It's personalized, it's notstatic, it's not.
We marry heart, story andintention for each person into
the work that we do and all ofthe team members there they have
that same heart for it.
(22:45):
We joke and we say that weprobably care more about your
home than you do, and so we dolose sleep over our projects
because we just we love what wedo so much and we want it to
matter and we want it to um, toimpact, and we want homeowners
to be able to to run home andjust be so excited to connect
(23:07):
with their people in theirspaces.
And so, um, we have a stylingservice, and the styling service
is basically you have all yourbig furniture, but you don't
know what to put on your shelves, and you don't know what
pillows and window treatmentsand all of that, and so we'll
come in and just put all thefinal touches on it for you,
just to kind of finish the spaceout.
(23:27):
And then we still dophotography as well, and so,
yeah, so we're, yeah, we're justkind of a.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
My goodness, I'll tell you what.
I am so glad that you came ontoday.
I mean I have learned so muchand just knowing what the things
that you're providing to thecommunity, I mean you truly are
making our community a betterplace.
Tina.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
We hope to.
Our mission is really to enrichthe homes and the lives within
our community and we do thatthrough creating exceptional
experiences that, from the veryfirst phone call to the time
that we're leaving you in yourhome, it's very important to us
(24:12):
all along the way to really justbe.
It's a stewardship, right Likeit's.
It's not a transit, we're not atransactional business, we're a
very relational um businessthat we feel called to.
That is that that we treat moreas a stewardship than an
entrepreneurship.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Yes, that's wonderful and you know you, you marry so
well to what we do here atBenchmark Home Loans.
I mean, we consider it an honorwhen we're entrusted with the
biggest purchase that mostpeople will probably ever make.
Yes, and so it's a veryhigh-touch hand-holding service,
(24:50):
absolutely, and I love whatyou're doing and how you value
people.
They're not just a client.
That's not just a customer,it's you're bringing them in,
it's almost like a family member.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
It is.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
It's relational and it's probably they probably send
you their children or maybe,down the road, their
grandchildren, and, yes, andthat's a beautiful thing, yeah.
So, tina, you're doing a greatwork.
Thank you for being here today,I hope, and that's a beautiful
thing.
So, tina, you're doing a greatwork.
Thank you for being here today.
I hope you'll come back.
(25:22):
Yeah, because I think we justbarely kind of brushed the
surface of Tina Wilson and whatyou're doing.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
So store location, tell us where that is.
So we're right downtown JohnsonCity, we're.
You know parking is whatparking is we are located in the
parking lot.
So we're on the corner of RhoneStreet and State of Franklin,
right at the public parkingright there.
And, yeah, you can, we're open,not at I'm sorry 10 to 6,
(25:50):
monday through Friday and 10 to4 on Saturdays Wonderful.
We also have events.
I didn't talk about those, butif you follow us on social media
, we have some really fun events.
Some of them are open to thecommunity.
Some of them are paid privateevents where we teach people how
to do things how to throw adinner party or how to make a
(26:11):
flower arrangement or how tocreate a tablescape.
There's lots of different funclasses, so you have to check
that out.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
I need to check those out.
So check you out on socialmedia for sure.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
Yes, reclaimedhomeco.
Speaker 2 (26:24):
Yeah, for all of those wonderful events.
So, tina, thank you for beingon today.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
Yes, thank you for having me.
I've loved it.
Speaker 1 (26:33):
This has been Benchmark Happenings, brought to
you by Jonathan Tipton andSteve Reed from Benchmark Home
Loans.
Jonathan and Steve areresidential mortgage lenders.
They do home loans in NortheastTennessee and they're not only
licensed in Tennessee butFlorida, georgia, south Carolina
and Virginia.
We hope you've enjoyed the show.
(26:55):
Georgia, south Carolina andVirginia.
We hope you've enjoyed the show.
If you did, make sure to like,rate and review.
Our passion is NortheastTennessee, so if you have
questions about mortgages, callus at 423-491-5405, and the
website iswwwJonathanAndStevecom.
Thanks for being with us andwe'll see you next time on
(27:17):
Benchmark Happenings.
This is Benchmark Happenings, brought to you by
Jonathan and Steve fromBenchmark Home Loans.
Northeast Tennessee, johnsonCity, kingsport, bristol, the
Tri-Cities One of the mostbeautiful places in the country
to live.
Tons of great things to do andawesome local businesses.
(00:21):
And on this show you'll findout why people are dying to move
to Northeast Tennessee.
And on the way we'll havediscussions about mortgages and
we'll interview people in thereal estate industry.
It's what we do.
This is Benchmark Happenings,brought to you by Benchmark Home
Loans, and now your host,christine Reed, and now your
(00:43):
host.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Christine Reed.
Well, welcome back everybody toanother episode of Benchmark
Happenings.
And you know, every couple ofweeks, businesswoman,
(01:11):
entrepreneur of Reclaimed Homedowntown, Just a beautiful,
beautiful store.
Tina, we've known each otherfor a long time, so welcome to
the show.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Thank you, I'm so happy to be here.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Well, I'm happy to have you here and I know that
you know just our briefconversation of some things that
you've been involved in.
I know we met years ago throughthe Emmaus community.
I've met you and your husbandthrough that.
Actually, that's how I metSteve was through Emmaus.
It's a good place to hook upwho knew Christian community?
(01:45):
Okay, girls, if you are abeliever, proclaim, profess,
believer in Jesus, that's right.
Get yourself on an Emmaus walk.
Be looking for a husband in theright places.
Don't think you're going tofind one in a bar.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Although I did find mine in a bar, so I can't really
sit here and say it.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
But God did a lot of great work, right?
God did a lot of great work inthat one.
He's gracious that way.
So, tina, I just lost myearring.
That's okay, I'll just take itoff, it's fine.
So really want to talk a littlebit about your endeavor in so
many things and to be a femaleliving here in this area just
(02:30):
all the different venues thatyou have put your hand to and
the multiple talents that youhave.
You know you.
I knew you from photography.
You're probably one of the mostsought after, best
photographers.
I would do wonderful familyphotos.
They're beautiful.
We need to do that, by the way.
(02:52):
And then you talked about on anAMA.
I remember we were on an AMAwalk together and you had talked
about opening up this store inJohnson City yes, city, yes, and
at the time it was going to benew furniture, used furniture,
making, renovating things thatpeople could love again.
So I'm just going to open it upto you.
(03:14):
So tell us about your business.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Okay, so I started photographing, probably when I
was a junior in high school.
Yeah, so I've been.
I'll tell my age here at 90, at91 is when I started
photographing JC Penny portraitstudio.
Um, so, throughout life, um, my, I thought my calling was to be
(03:40):
a?
Um, a hairdresser.
I wanted to be a cosmetologistand I had all the same hopes and
visions at age 14 for thatindustry that I'm pretty much
doing now, which is just reallyodd.
But never expected photographyto go anywhere.
Just thought that it would comeand go, as things do in life,
(04:04):
and it's just been the one thatkind of came to stay.
So I started, I tried to getout of it several times.
I had children Right before Ihad kids.
I tried to get into real estate.
I tried to get into insurance.
I tried my hand at thetechnology world and worked in
(04:25):
the computer industry and sales.
I tried all kinds of things andlife just kept leading me right
back to photography.
So when my kids were born, Itried to be a stay-at-home mom.
That did not work for me.
I very much lost myself in that, just kind of spiraled into an
(04:45):
identity crisis and found mycordless phone.
Back then, before cell phonesfound my cordless phone, I would
find it in the freezer and findmy jelly that's supposed to be
in the freezer in the bottom ofthe pantry.
I mean, I just kind of was likewho am I?
I used to be smart.
I don't know who I am anymore.
So so I ended up I needed to dosomething, but I didn't want to,
(05:09):
um, to go too far outside ofwhat felt natural to me.
So I just started photographyin my home when my babies were,
like I don't know, six months orso, and so I started building
the business in 2003.
Business in 2003.
And then by the end of thatyear it had built to a place
(05:30):
that I was not really sure whento be a mom and when to be a
business owner, and being a wifewasn't even on my radar anymore
because I was so busy.
And so I moved into my firststudio downtown Johnson City and
I was there for a couple years.
I immediately hired a couplepeople did not want to do that.
(05:50):
I had worked for a company thatthey would hire people, train
them and they would leave andstart their own businesses.
And so I was like, well, Idon't want to create my own
competition.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
So why would I do that?
My own competition, so why?
Speaker 3 (06:03):
would I do that, and so, anyway, started learning
leadership, started learningstarted going to some
conferences like Catalyst.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
I don't know if you remember that in Atlanta, oh, I
used to go to Catalyst.
I thought that was the bestthing since sliced bread.
I thought, oh my God, have youbeen to Catalyst?
It was pretty awesome.
It was pretty awesome.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Yeah, it definitely was.
So did that a lot and reallywent into it with the motive of
just like I'm just going to giveand not expect anything in
return.
But you know, when you startdoing that and you start getting
a little bit of notoriety, it'shard to not kind of take that
(06:45):
on as an identity, you know.
And so prod comes before thefall.
These girls left and startedtheir own business.
You know, and so, looking backon it now, I can see it.
You know, cliches are clichesfor a reason.
We were talking about thatbefore the show and you know,
hindsight really is 20-20.
Like you can just see so muchmore clearly years down the road
and you know, hindsight reallyis 2020.
Like, you can just see so muchmore clearly years down the road
(07:06):
and that's a gift.
But in the time it stripped me,I mean, I just it was so
hurtful and it was like it waskind of a confirmation of I knew
better, I shouldn't have.
So, anyway, fast forward, endedup hiring some new people and
(07:29):
reexamining my motives and kindof finding my really finding my
identity was in more than justwhat I was able to do through a
camera, and that was a beautifulgrowth journey and so, anyway,
I kept photographing, uh, kindof rediscovered myself, if you
will.
And, um, every year I wouldjust kind of meet with some
(07:54):
friends that own businesses andwe would get re-inspired to do
something um, different or newor better or what have you.
And that's really where thevision was planted for Reclaim.
There was a store I went todown in Chattanooga and I was
just awed by it.
It was incredible.
(08:15):
I was just there to build myphotography business up and to
get some inspiration, and as I'mdriving back up the road, I
literally hear this voice you'regoing to have a store like that
someday.
And I'm like what in the world.
It was that like, what was that?
Speaker 2 (08:30):
It was so clear to me , that's a yeah, that's a God
moment.
It was a God moment, for sure,Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Absolutely, and so I just started praying about it
and this was in 2011.
About it, and this was in 2011.
And I had at that point, I hadfour people on staff, I think,
and was healing and had been togot to take me to Rwanda to
teach me about forgiveness.
I'm like these girls juststarted a business because they
(09:01):
were probably being mistreatedhonestly at that point, you know
.
And so, yeah, so it was.
It was beautiful Met with alady that that just kind of
helped me to understand thatwhat I did and what I was known
for was not necessarily like mycore identity, which was a huge
message for me back then.
And meanwhile, I'm stillphotographing and still building
(09:23):
the business and buildingrelationships in the community
and and loving all of that.
And, anyway, ended up, ended up, yeah, um, sorry, ended up, um,
what was I saying?
I am so easily distracted.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
So, talking about the business, so you were.
You pretty much had a clear,almost a clear indication that
I'm going to start this business, like one that you saw in
Chattanooga, yes, and then youhad, um, gone through.
You've had some severallife-changing journeys, tina,
which I really appreciate youtalking about those, because I
(10:06):
think, as women, we have so manyexpectations put on us and we
struggle with so many things andwe struggle with that identity.
What do I do?
Speaker 3 (10:18):
And we don't feel like we can share that with
anybody, because what will theythink about us?
Right, and so it is.
I mean, it was what it was.
I was very prideful I had Inever knew who I was, but
suddenly everybody knew who Iwas and so that definitely went
to my head, you know, and itjust.
That is just the way it works,but anyway.
(10:39):
So circling back to um, to the,the store, to the store.
Yes, so I just I was justpraying and just said, like I
don't, I'm just a photographer.
I don't know how to open afurniture store, I don't even
know if that's for me, but Ijust need you to like, shut all
these voices down if that's notof you, and if it is, then just
(11:02):
start opening doors.
And so he did.
He just started opening doorsand I ended up in it was either
2011 or 2012.
I ended up, just like I justagreed, like I will write down
everything that feels clear tome in the moment and we'll just
see where it goes.
And so I ended up writing avision statement for each part
of this crazy business that wascoming to me.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
That is awesome.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
And we still, to this day, we still are tethered to
that same vision.
So it's really beautiful.
That is yeah, yeah.
And just along the way, so manydoors have opened.
So I will talk for three hoursabout this.
I'm trying to manage our 20minutes well.
So I mean, every everythingthat was supposed to happen had
(12:02):
realized what that actually getsyou is not notoriety, it is
pride, and so so now we have,like I don't know, 20 employees.
It's crazy.
And so, yeah, and it's in there, and I'm learning.
I have learned and I'mcontinuing to learn that my
opinion is not the only opinionthat matters and we can really
(12:26):
create so much more than anyoneever dreamed of.
You couldn't have sold me for anickel 10 years ago to tell me
that I'd be sitting right hereright now doing the things that
we're doing, to the level thatwe're doing them, and it's
because the people that comeinto my life, I've just learned
to, to approach them with,they're here for a moment and
(12:48):
they may be gone again tomorrowor maybe they're here to stay.
I don't get to choose that,Because we can't hold on to
people, you know.
So I just and that that was oneof the things that a very kind
lady said to me right after thegirls left and I was just
reeling and stripped.
And she said when people cometo your life, you're closing
(13:10):
your fist because it's the bestthat you've ever seen and the
best that you've everexperienced.
But what God wants for you is hewill bring people to you and
then they will go through youand he will always be replacing
with better and better andbetter.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Not better people, but just different, right, and
using all the differentpersonalities, and because we're
also different, we're alsounique.
We always say that you know,there is no other Tina Wilson,
there's no other Christine Reed,because God designed us
genetically, through our DNA, tobe so unique.
(13:47):
But to glorify him, that'sright For a reason.
So everybody is so unique anddifferent.
So I love what you're sayingand I think, if I hear it
correctly, you know tell me ifI'm wrong.
I think, if I hear it correctly, you know tell me if I'm wrong.
But he uses all those differentpeople coming in and out of our
lives kind of like a swingingdoor.
But it's that sanctificationprocess.
(14:09):
It's always refining us, makingus better.
You know, maybe we're seeingfaults in ourselves that we
don't want to see, that somebodyelse can see, sure, sure, I
have this picture.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
I'm just, I'm such a picture girl, which is why
photography is so important tome and and I'm just, I'm so
connected to it.
The picture that I have of lifeis or one of them anyway is like
this set of stairs and you'realways on the middle step.
It doesn't matter how far alongyou are, it doesn't matter how
(14:44):
smart you are, it doesn't matter.
It doesn't matter who you are,you're always on the middle step
.
There's always someone aboveyou that is better, faster,
prettier, skinnier, moresuccessful, whatever, and
there's always somebody rightdown below you that needs
something.
They're trying to learn,they're trying to discover, and
(15:06):
you have something that theyneed, and they probably have
something that you need.
And so always just thinking ofmyself, like right in the middle
, like I reach up and I getwisdom that pours into me, and
then I just turn around andempty it out to whoever's right
behind me, and that is beautiful, that because I feel like you
(15:26):
know, age doesn't have anythingto do with that and experience
doesn't even really have much todo with that, because you're
right, like we're all created tobe exactly who we are, and when
we just show up in our identity.
It just yeah, everything, itall just gels and it all just
makes sense.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
It works it does, really it does, it does, and so
you've you've stayed true tothat vision with reclaimed home,
you know, providing a place.
So what are some of the thingsthat that I mean?
20 employees, tina, that'simpressive it shouldn't be too
impressive.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
I don't zoom out and look at it like that that's a
lot.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
I just know, and you know, Steve, managing the
mortgage industry for 40 yearsnow, people who have come and
gone, and just you know managingpeople, leading people.
It's so.
It's not for the faint of heart, it's true.
So what are some of the thingsthat you're doing there at
Reclaimed Home?
Speaker 3 (16:24):
So we didn't really tie in photography to Reclaimed
necessarily.
So I'll circle back to that,because that's something really
beautiful that's happening rightnow and I feel like it probably
answers what you're getting to.
And, tina Wilson, photographyis something that I've built for
22 years.
I haven't built it alone.
(16:44):
I've had all the differentemployees that have come through
that business in the years thatit's been alive has helped to
create what it is today.
And so once I started Reclaim,the vision that I felt like the
Lord had given me is that overthe course of five years the
(17:06):
photography would just kind oflike no longer be a player, or
could kind of fade into thenight, if you will.
And five years came and Iwasn't ready for it to go away.
It wasn't prevalent anymore.
It wasn't the pressure and thestress to keep it alive and well
and me being the only commoditythere which I mean, I'm like,
(17:32):
if I want to go away for acouple of months not that I will
, not that I may ever do thatbut what if I had to?
What would happen to thebusiness?
It would shut down, and Ireally wanted something that
would keep going without me.
And so I ended up having I hada phone.
High school or not from highschool, I'm sorry Graduated from
(17:53):
college, I've got a job, I'vebeen living in Charlotte, I've
just moved back home.
I just, I don't know if I wantto do this, I just can.
Can we just meet and, you know,just chat, and so that's my
love language.
So so we met, we walked and wewalked and we walked and we oh,
(18:21):
my goodness, our legs were numband she just shared where she
was and I shared where I am.
And then that has turned intome basically mentoring her to
take over Tina Wilsonphotography, and so the name
doesn't make sense anymore,because it's not Tina Wilson
that you're going to get.
But it also didn't feel feel,it didn't feel natural to take
(18:43):
it all the way away.
And then and we've explored,you know, every, every way that
we can possibly explore this,but anyway, we just decided to
name it Wilson and Co and lether be the head photographer and
I'll still photograph, likeclients that I've always worked
with, because that's what.
I love to do is grow withfamilies and watch them grow in
(19:05):
front of the lens and kind ofdocument that journey.
It's so beautiful and now she'sgoing to be taking on all the
new clients and all the newshoots that come through the
studio and she's so passionateand she's so good and I've known
her since she was two.
It's just, it's so beautiful.
It's so beautiful and so Iknown her since she was two.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
It's just it's so beautiful.
It's so beautiful.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
And so I was willing to let it go away.
But then, when it came, whenthat time frame came and then it
just, it perfectly coincidedwith the time that she called
and it just, it was just kind ofserendipitous, which is how all
of this is when my hands aren'tfull when.
I don't have my hands closed onwhat seems too good to be true
(19:43):
and I'm just willing to let itgo.
Then new doors open and newopportunities come when I could
have never dreamed that theywould.
So it is.
It is really beautiful, so thephotography is going to continue
.
And it's underneath theumbrella of Reclaimed Okay and
we may not have 20 employeesright now.
(20:04):
I don't know but 18 to 20 isprobably where we are.
I don't know if anybody's factchecking me, so I want to be
careful for that.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
I don't think you've got to worry about that, Tina.
We don't fact check.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
But it's really beautiful, but it's really
beautiful.
I've learned that as a leader Ican be a really okay leader of
like seven to ten people.
When it surpasses 13, I tap out.
But that is under a structurethat all of those people answer
to me.
I can't do that.
(20:40):
What we have now is we kind ofhave different divisions.
So what Reclaimed?
Home is, is we have a retailstore and the retail store has
home goods it has.
It's not necessarily reclaimed,is not the word for reclaimed,
is the word for repurposed.
(21:00):
But that's not what we do.
We do source some found thingsbecause authentically worn when
it is in, when you, when you putsomething that's authentically
worn into a room, it welcomesstory and it welcomes warmth
instantly a room.
It welcomes story and itwelcomes warmth instantly, and
so that is the part of the lookof something that's reclaimed
(21:21):
that we really love, and thenmarrying that idea with things
that are new, that wear reallywell, that live really well with
families.
And then we have gift items andso reclaimed is really just
about coming to find things thatmake your home better, that
make your home feel irresistible, to where your family and your
(21:43):
friends want to.
They want to be there, theywant to come, they're
comfortable there, becausethat's where really connection,
I think, is birth, and thenmeanwhile, if your home is
perfectly the way you want it,there's always a great gift to
be discovered, right, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
So we do gifts.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
And then we do full scope, full service interior
design.
We do new construction, workingwith architects all the way up
to or down to, if you will, justselecting paint colors to a
room and everything in between.
We do full home furnishings.
We leave a space so that youcan walk in and just put your
(22:24):
feet up and start living, andthat's really beautiful and we
love that.
It's personalized, it's notstatic, it's not.
We marry heart, story andintention for each person into
the work that we do and all ofthe team members there they have
that same heart for it.
(22:45):
We joke and we say that weprobably care more about your
home than you do, and so we dolose sleep over our projects
because we just we love what wedo so much and we want it to
matter and we want it to um, toimpact, and we want homeowners
to be able to to run home andjust be so excited to connect
(23:07):
with their people in theirspaces.
And so, um, we have a stylingservice, and the styling service
is basically you have all yourbig furniture, but you don't
know what to put on your shelves, and you don't know what
pillows and window treatmentsand all of that, and so we'll
come in and just put all thefinal touches on it for you,
just to kind of finish the spaceout.
(23:27):
And then we still dophotography as well, and so,
yeah, so we're, yeah, we're justkind of a.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
My goodness, I'll tell you what.
I am so glad that you came ontoday.
I mean I have learned so muchand just knowing what the things
that you're providing to thecommunity, I mean you truly are
making our community a betterplace.
Tina.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
We hope to.
Our mission is really to enrichthe homes and the lives within
our community and we do thatthrough creating exceptional
experiences that, from the veryfirst phone call to the time
that we're leaving you in yourhome, it's very important to us
(24:12):
all along the way to really justbe.
It's a stewardship, right Likeit's.
It's not a transit, we're not atransactional business, we're a
very relational um businessthat we feel called to.
That is that that we treat moreas a stewardship than an
entrepreneurship.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Yes, that's wonderful and you know you, you marry so
well to what we do here atBenchmark Home Loans.
I mean, we consider it an honorwhen we're entrusted with the
biggest purchase that mostpeople will probably ever make.
Yes, and so it's a veryhigh-touch hand-holding service,
(24:50):
absolutely, and I love whatyou're doing and how you value
people.
They're not just a client.
That's not just a customer,it's you're bringing them in,
it's almost like a family member.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
It is.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
It's relational and it's probably they probably send
you their children or maybe,down the road, their
grandchildren, and, yes, andthat's a beautiful thing, yeah.
So, tina, you're doing a greatwork.
Thank you for being here today,I hope, and that's a beautiful
thing.
So, tina, you're doing a greatwork.
Thank you for being here today.
I hope you'll come back.
(25:22):
Yeah, because I think we justbarely kind of brushed the
surface of Tina Wilson and whatyou're doing.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
So store location, tell us where that is.
So we're right downtown JohnsonCity, we're.
You know parking is whatparking is we are located in the
parking lot.
So we're on the corner of RhoneStreet and State of Franklin,
right at the public parkingright there.
And, yeah, you can, we're open,not at I'm sorry 10 to 6,
(25:50):
monday through Friday and 10 to4 on Saturdays Wonderful.
We also have events.
I didn't talk about those, butif you follow us on social media
, we have some really fun events.
Some of them are open to thecommunity.
Some of them are paid privateevents where we teach people how
to do things how to throw adinner party or how to make a
(26:11):
flower arrangement or how tocreate a tablescape.
There's lots of different funclasses, so you have to check
that out.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
I need to check those out.
So check you out on socialmedia for sure.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
Yes, reclaimedhomeco.
Speaker 2 (26:24):
Yeah, for all of those wonderful events.
So, tina, thank you for beingon today.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
Yes, thank you for having me.
I've loved it.
Speaker 1 (26:33):
This has been Benchmark Happenings, brought to
you by Jonathan Tipton andSteve Reed from Benchmark Home
Loans.
Jonathan and Steve areresidential mortgage lenders.
They do home loans in NortheastTennessee and they're not only
licensed in Tennessee butFlorida, georgia, south Carolina
and Virginia.
We hope you've enjoyed the show.
(26:55):
Georgia, south Carolina andVirginia.
We hope you've enjoyed the show.
If you did, make sure to like,rate and review.
Our passion is NortheastTennessee, so if you have
questions about mortgages, callus at 423-491-5405, and the
website iswwwJonathanAndStevecom.
Thanks for being with us andwe'll see you next time on
(27:17):
Benchmark Happenings.
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